Aaron Pierce

Fields of Study

Theoretical Particle Physics

About

Professor Pierce is a theorist who studies extensions of the Standard Model of particle physics. Among the questions he explores are: What makes up the dark matter? How do the observed particles get their masses? Why is gravity so weak when compared with the other forces?
What explains the excess of matter over anti-matter in our universe?

There are numerous extensions of the Standard Model that attempt to answer these questions. Some solutions involve the addition of new forces. Others appear even more exotic, positing the existence of extra dimensions, or, as in the case of supersymmetry, a doubling of all known particles. To evaluate which of these possibilities gives the correct answer will require data. Professor Pierce is particularly interested in connecting models of new physics with their signatures at upcoming and on-going experiments. The Large Hadron Collider, which turns on in 2007, will provide a wealth of data relevant to physics beyond the Standard Model. Understanding the theoretical implications of this data is an exciting project.